FRONT PAGE CONTRIBUTOR

Union Bosses’ 2014 Hit List: Why Unions Are Using $300 Million to Eliminate Five GOP Governors

Union bosses are reportedly planning to spend $300 million of their members’ money to eliminate five Republican governors during in the 2014 elections.

While union bosses have not released a prioritized list, if they had a list prioritizing which governors are higher in their hit list, it would probably look like this:

Scott Walker (Wisconsin)–While Walker’s Act 10 has done well for Wisconsin’s budget, by most accounts, Walker is highest on the unions’ hit list.

Rick Snyder (Michigan)–In 2012, UAW boss Bob King and other unions pushed a overly broad pro-union ballot initiative called Proposal 2 that would have solidified union power in the state’s constitution. When voters soundly rejected it 58-42%, Governor Snyder responded with making Michigan the nation’s 24th Right-to-Work state. Since giving workers the choice whether or not to pay union dues or fees is as anathema to unions as the plague, unions have vowed their revenge.

John Kasich (Ohio)–Though Kasich has been largely neutered since his attempt at reforming Ohio’s collective bargaining laws were repealed by Ohio voters a few years ago, Ohio is a swing state and, with 2016 right around the corner, having the state in Democrat hands will come in handy for Hillary.

Tom Corbett (Pennsylvania)–Though not as high profile as Wisconsin’s Walker, the Keystone State’s Corbett has been nibbling at union power with trying to privatize the state-controlled (and unionized) liquor stores. In addition, with an effort underway to curb unions’ ability to deduct union dues for politics from public-sector employees, both public and private-sector unions across the state are in an uproar.

Rick Scott (Florida) — While Rick Scott has been angering unions with what union bosses refer to as “union busting,” the state itself is a Right-to-Work state and, with only 5.8 percent of the Florida workforce in unions, unions do not have a lot of power in the state. However, like Kasich above, union bosses are likely looking ahead to 2016 and want a friend in power in case there is a need for an election-night recount.

Whether or not the unions actually succeed in eliminating any of their targets can mean a sea change in the public policy debate and all it takes is one for union bosses to declare victory.